Atlantic Express
Sitemap AE TRAINS * See Also Atlantic_Express_(game_level) * See Also TechnicalDrawings * See Also Transportation_Systems * see Also Expanded_Atlantic_Express_System ---- . . . . . . . . . AE Shown in the Game (BS2) : Unlike a common rail system, the Atlantic Express (as shown) only has one line. which is odd as that it was a mass transit network. It is safe to assume that it would need a second line running parallel in the opposing direction to make it a practical transit system. Although it is possible that there is a turntable mechanism similar to the one seen while riding the elevator up to Brigid Tenenbaum at the end of the line that turns the train around (and the short routes would allow for one Car per track, going back and forth). The track routes COULD also go in a loop one direction (the distances involved maybe make that possible, as Rapture is only a few miles across. There also could be monorail switches OUTSIDE in the water, so that only a single (complex/expensive) airlock could handle both directions. One station actually does have two tracks, but the level artist had one of them dead end. The AE Train system we see also runs thru the 'older' part of the City, and is largely going through 'entertainment' venues, and may not warrant a system with as much capacity as busier parts of the City would have. ---- The Atlantic Express Traincar Design Is Too Ornate ''' : pix pix Assets For the AE Transit System : The AE Train pix is a bit too ornate (the Transit Trams likewise) with those fancy Too Busy side panels. The shape is somewhat copied from some period streamlined trains. Art Deco vehicle Streamlined style is usually simplified with clean smooth surfaces to go with the 'Speed Lines'. The MMORPG would have some different models (larger, with greater capacity, looking more like a [[PCC style car]]). The existing AE cars design (seen) are a bit (far) too narrow in width, severely limiting passenger seating/capacity). Same kind of (or worse) overdone Weirdness was seen on the Trolley Trams (which were particularly strange). Those older Trolley Trams we see (strangely shaped, small, weird handrailings, and probably - as a cover story to explain it - used before the METRO consolidation) may have been forced back into use when the newer (bigger) cars were destroyed in 'Civil War' terrorist attacks. The Trams we see have no seats. Either they were ripped out and burned, or those older model Trams were converted to Freight Service (it is necessary to use the Trolley system to transport bulk freight around the city, which is competing with what is left of the AE system, which runs to fewer larger stations). ---- '''A Mere Glimpse of a Much Larger Transit System : We only saw a fraction the full AE system's extent. The facilities at the AE Depot seem excessive to the few tracks seen on that one AE map (which looks to be just a local section map). We saw lots more AE tracks outside windows in the water. The Trolley component of Metro Transit likewise cannot really be composed of the few-hundred-yard-long lines we got to see around Olympus Heights/Apollo Square -- to work as a real USABLE transport system, they would need to go thru to multiple destinations, AND form a criss-cross pattern across the whole city. The Bathysphere system we saw was likewise insufficient for any normal daily transit of a 'City' of thousands, back when we saw neither Trams nor AE stations (or signs indicating their presence) in the first games' areas of the City. ---- Posters For Atlantic Express Still Common Seen Up On Walls : If the system had been 'shut down' around 1952, when the bankruptcy of the AE took place and formation of the Metro Transit, then why are these posters still up 7 years later in BS1 'civil war' times? This reinforces the idea that the AE system was still working, maybe only for 'Long Distance' trains for passengers, and the Freight system which would have stayed profitable. Besides, it is obvious that parts of the AE still operated 7 years later than that (in BS2). --- --- --- Adapt or Die : ''' Some of the original Atlantic Express passenger stations (ones not converted to Freight operation stations) were modified as small submarine access stations (used by the Cab/Limo services and private subs). They made use of the original monorail track modified as an overhead crane to pass the subs thru the airlocks and also to lift them out of the water. The MMORPG would allow expanding on these many mechanism and facilities for Rapture. --- --- --- Black dotted lines are the Mk2 AE system and Blue dotted lines are what remains of the old Mk1 AE tracks. ---- . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . '''Technology Mk1 The First Built AE System Mk2 The Rebuilt AE System (improvements started ~1950) ---- Prentis Mill The man who built the AE system for Rapture ---- ---- ---- Test the wiki Map Feature (I'm not impressed with the huge obscuring map site markers... THEY ARE FRICKEN HUGE - no option for smaller ones or custom shaped...) Blue Print : What looks like a Freight Locomotive (Mk1) . . . . . . . . . . . . AE scrapyard (BioShock 2 in-game view from Paupers Drop). This looks like a scrapping area for old equipment. Mk1 style Atlantic Express equipment and track components. Some track sections/routes of this (Mk1) style continued to run passenger traffic post-AE-bankruptcy (we rode some in BS2). Possibly Prentis Mill ran it as his (fullsize) hobby RR trainset (It ran thru a lesser part of the City which hadn't warranted the Mk2 replacement, and it made use of remaining Mk1 equipment which hadn't yet worn out). Even after being superceded by Mk2 (which had greater capacity and speed and new routes/destinations), that system was still insufficient for the City's passenger traffic needs (Passenger business being replaced by an integrated Metro Transit Trolley network, and Bathyspheres.) AE Freight traffic continued to most City destinations, and Long-Distance Passenger service outside of Rapture City continued. Ryan made use of the AE Freight trackage system during the 'Civil War' to move his forces around, as well to continue supplying the majority of the City's many surviving Citizens. Note - the building at lower left in the picture is simply a copy of a surface 1900 era industrial building (corrugated metal roof and ventilation projection) - rather inappropriate for the deep water, while the one on the lower right at least has a better suited concrete bunker shape. --- --- --- The AE's Problem : Those Atlantic Express trains, because they went out into the water, were required to enter/exit airlocks TWICE at every station (and those each would be a rather expensive mechanism to build and maintain). That need delayed movement significantly, when the lines/routes were at most only a few miles long (a matter of stopped time & station delays versus traveling time). Whereas the Trolleys, which stayed WITHIN Rapture's internal pressurized environment, require no such extra delays, and had far less expensive trackway mechanisms and rolling stock. Tunnels DID need to be bored between building clusters, and trolley sized viaducts used to span gaps, but those are far simpler in the long run to operate. By the time of the Metro Consolidation (~1952), Construction Labor was more available and cheaper, and construction techniques (like tunnel cutting) were more advanced. --- --- --- Reasons Much Of The (Mk1) Atlantic Express was Rebuilt to the New Mechanism (Mk2) : ' The track structure of the earlier design, after hard use (City Construction) was wearing out - not able to take the expanded loads/use by the growing City (expediancies of an early construction 1946 period - rebuilding whole sections of railroads is nothing new in the real world). Problems and limitations were discovered which were not apparent in the time of the original design implementation. The newer design allowed for larger Traincars (with improved capacity per car - and a less cramped interior), The original clamshell symetrical drivewheels had structural limitations that did not allow application for larger units. Better streamlining for efficiency was used in the new Traincar designs - Much better that the original Mk1 style ones (seen in BS2) which had it more for show. The Mk2 design allowed for higher speeds and accelerations without undue wear on the improved track structure and car mechanisms. Passenger comfort was able to be maintained for this higher performance. The new Mk2 track was more modular, bringing down building and maintenance costs, as well as improving reliability. The new double tracking (often at little extra cost) increased traffic capacities greatly. Many sections (stations/customer locations) were no longer relevant and were not profitable to connect to - the lines would have to be relocated/rebuilt. Significant shifts of passenger traffic patterns. Realignments and more direct routes shortened some sections (including additional use of newly inexpensive tunnels). Many stations were too small to handle double-end car sets (and turning at end-of-lines had efficiency(cost) problems). New (much larger) Mk2 stations not only all allowed the larger cars, but double-sets as well. Additional/expanding freight traffic required extending of the original system (which was actually cheaper with the Mk2). Expanding the existing system in many places was too difficult because of local congestion/preexisting structures that would need removal at much greater cost. Some of the old Mk1 system could be retained ( like the low traffic Short Line WE traverse ), and other parts salvaged for industrial/secondary reuse (the 'used' railroad salvage business), where the Mk1 limitations were not so important. Newer and Shinier. (Less expenditures on decorations still would not have saved the AE Passenger Business from bankruptcy a few years later). --- --- --- '''Original AE TrainCar Issue : ' The odd shaping/excessive decorations on the AE train carsides isn't in tune with Art Deco (modern) 'Streamlining', nor something used in an ocean water environment. Those decorations just add more cleaning work to be required. You can apply PAINT to get a similar (or better) decorative effect. (( '' Turbulance, caused by odd profile shapes of moving bodies GREATLY INCREASES Inefficiency - PARTICULARLY in water with its far higher flow resistances. '' )) --- --- --- 'AE - Its More Like A Subway : ' It has to be stressed that the Atlantic Express was fundamentally a Transit system rather than a long distance railroad type system. It also moved a city's volume of freight (and was fundamental in the city's construction). It was also rather 'heavyweight' and did not have as much utility that the Trolley (bus-like) system had. Afters its decline, the AE still would have been used to reach outlying areas outside of Rapture City (including likely industrial/resource sites), but few people other than commuting workers travel where FREIGHT transport is the primary cargo). --- --- --- '''AE Station Ticket Booths : Why require a human to do this mundane job ? THIS is Rapture, where technical advancement is worshiped like a god ... Atlantic Express automated Ticket Machines (Asset to Add to the MMORPG) -- with a Map of all of Rapture (styled using those AE bronze In-Game MAP graphical widgets). The Start location is where you are currently. The endpoint Destination you Press on the map and your ticket itinerary with train numbers (and alternates) and any Station transfers is printed out (or just told to you). Being largely like a subway system (all Stations were within ~3 miles of each other), the Atlantic Express had a standard fee (tokens) for all destinations inside the City. Separate special trains went out to areas outside of Rapture (upto ~15 miles) and had separate ticket prices. Express and Luxury service was extra. This automatic system was put in place once comp-u-ters were advanced enough to run a reservation system -- which could compensate for loads, late/disrupted service, and detours - and even order additional trains for increased passenger traffic loads). Historical Note - the old tokens used for the AE were found to be particularly good for shaping into arrowheads, at the later periods when gun ammunition became much more scarce. Similar machines would exist for the Metro Trolley System (or Bathysphere) to instantly tell the traveler which way to go (which train/track/time) to get to their desired destination. "THIS IS RAPTURE !! " just begs a choreographed "300" like situation for a Flashback --- --- --- Monorail Switches : Monorails have to shift the one rail to operate. The principle is the same whether the rail is over or under. . . . . . . . ---- . . . . . . . . . . Much of the Atlantic Express in Rapture operated like a typical Subway in a big city, and the distances made trips generally not more than a few minutes. (The main part of Rapture was only like 3 miles wide at the most.) There were other long-distance cars used to go outside the city to the outlying sites, and would look inside more like a conventional passenger traincar interior (with rows of seats) for trips taking more like an hour or two). --- --- --- The AE Train System Might Seem Overkill for a City Only a Few Miles Across : The AE train system was immediately needed for city construction (and would be heavily used for that), and had to be quickly operational. The city construction process required a versatile 'open' (in-water) transport system. Later, that already existing Mk1 system would likely continue intact to be utilized for transporting the population. There would have been a 'learning curve' as the City grew over years, with subsequent/further building Construction being done mostly upon reasonably stable Seabed (something more conducive to the AE residing in Tunnels). We were not offered the opportunity see what the Atlantic Express was like in the majority of the city. (NOTE - The AE system had to be built to handle the most difficult parts of its environment as well as the easiest). Rebuilding Offered AE Adjustments : The AE rebuilding might have later used more Tunnels, like a subway - except for the parts of Rapture (being in a volcanic crater) where the seabed was unsuitably unstable. Building non-tunnel covered (pressurized) track system for that situation would be more expensive. For some spread out segments of the city, it likely would not warrant that greater expense. Segments of the AE Mk2 upgrade would be rebuilt in new pressurized tunnels -- done where it was cost effective, while some other Mk1 routes were retained (like the AE route seen in BS2). - The competing Metro Trolley System, once integrated, consolidated and patched together, effectively took over most of Rapture's passenger business (Note - I've elsewhere explained WHY the 'Bathyspheres could not really serve the city properly). --- --- --- "Inside" Atlantic Express Track Lines : Some 'Streets', the AE type trains/routes went through INSIDE (not out in Ocean), similar to Trolley type routes, with 'buildings' on one or both sides of the 'Track'. The AE tracks would be elevated above, with the street below (unlike the Trolleys that share the 'street' surface with Pedestrians and Bicycles, etc ...). The airlock systems going in and out of the Ocean water add overhead/complexity (time delays, maintenance). Some terrain obstacles are easier to burrow through-- SO if there is a long tunnel passage between two AE Stations, why have the train go into water ? The AE 'Inside' Tunnels still would have emergency seals (normally open 'airlock'/bulkhead doors at strategic points) to handle possible catastrophic flooding - at both ends and sometimes in the middle if the tunnel is long enough.. --- --- --- . . . . . . . . . . . . . We see some control panels in AE Stations in the game. Here's a REAL control panel which appears to be for switch controls on a yard of 8 Tracks (little in the AE system being that many) and it showing the switches at both ends of the "double-ended" yard. --- --- --- Mount Ryan Express : Atlantic Express train that traverses the tracks to other areas outside the main city. One goes East, another goes West and South branches (Distances from City Limits are 5 and 12 miles). Nice murky scenic trip (and signs), and you get to see (and do) various activities outside of Rapture. In the Chaos times the people living out there kept their part of the system working, so you might see some rather unconventional repairs and conveyances (ie- some people lived out of the AE traincars). New Rapture is making repairs to the system slowly and with the assistance of the Players. The Usual FlashbacksFlashback potential which can make use of the various 'Train' cliches. "Murder on the Atlantic Express - A Booker DeWitt Mystery" ... --- --- --- Efficient Station Airlock Use For AE trains (Low Effort, Rapid Cycle) : This process requires minimum pumping against the quite high external pressure (energy use), and minimal loss of interior atmospheric gases. Cycle time is minimized for practicality (to keep the trains moving on along their route with minimal delay). System mechanics should be simple and robust with minimal maintenance(cost) and maximum safety. * Departure starts with airlock doors open on inside (at normal pressure) and closed on outside (all doors are double sets for safety) and drained. * Outbound train cars descend into airlock (inclined track) which is already more than half filled with water (minimizing/speeding water pumping operations). * Inner Door closes/sealed and water from a Holding tank is pumped in (at low pressure differential - little effort) to completely fill interior (air is collected thru vents in top of airlock). * Valve is opened to outside to equalize pressure - very little air in airlock to be compressed/lost. * Outer door opens, vehicle exits (and/or another enters). * Entry starts with airlock doors open on outside and ocean water filling airlock completely at outside pressure * Vehicle enters. Outer door closes/sealed (airlock is still completely filled with water) * Pressure is released (but water does not expand, though there is some frothing/bubbling as dissolved gases comes out of liquid) * Once pressure equalized with inside, sufficient water is pumped out back to a holding tank (and Rapture air in) sufficient to lower water level to clear the station deck.- Inner Door is opened and vehicle leaves water (rises along inclined track) and comes into station * Repeat --- --- --- --- --- . .